


Fiori

by Spellbound_Spot_Conlon



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Crutchy - Freeform, Crutchy is Spots dark gay son, Flower meanings, Flowers, Gay, Highschool AU, Hopefully very cute, Kittens, M/M, Romance, Spot is very defensive of his friends, david jacobs - Freeform, lockers, racetrack higgins - Freeform, spot conlon - Freeform, sprace, valentines day, very gay, yaaaaaaay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2019-01-04 17:47:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12173730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spellbound_Spot_Conlon/pseuds/Spellbound_Spot_Conlon
Summary: Crutchy always thought that he was never the kind of person to attract admirers or lots of, if any, people seeking a relationship. And certainly not romantic people. No way. So when he arrived at school, and went to his locker only to find a flower, it would be safe to say he was more than a little surprised.





	Fiori

**Author's Note:**

> This literally took me FOREVER to write, but was totally worth it! I wrote this for a_cool_username so I hope enjoy!!! Man, these boys are the best

Crutchy always thought that he was never the kind of person to attract admirers or lots of, if any, people seeking a relationship. And certainly not romantic people. No way. So when he arrived at school, and went to his locker only to find a flower, it would be safe to say he was more than a little surprised.

"Spot, just because you don't like fish doesn't mean it's a nasty food."

"Yes it does Crutchy! Fish is disgusting," Spot made a disgusted face to match with his words and gave a dramatic shudder.

Crutchy rolled his eyes and said, "What a drama queen."

"At your service!" Spot gave a gallant bow before springing forward once more to their lockers, backpack bouncing on his shoulders. Crutchy followed, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling, and grinning at his friend's antics.

"Heya Crutch, look! Someone's left a flower on your locker," Spot called back at him.

"What? No. That's not possible," Crutchy responded disbelievingly, and not even hopefully. Quickening his pace, he reached his locker to find Spot leaning against it, holding a multicolored tulip in his hand.

"Certainly is," he insisted, twirling the tulip in between his fingers. "This was right on your locker door."

Crutchy just stared at him. Why would someone leave a flower on his locker door? Had there been a mistake? As if reading his mind, Spot spoke again.

"It says 'To Crutchy' on it."

Well, he thought. That settles it. He took the flower out of Spot's grasp and ran his finger pads across the yellow and maroon petals. His mind raced with all the possibilities of who it could be. Was it one of his friends? Or someone who wanted to be....more? Valentine's Day was in, what....seven more days? It wasn't impossible, just very unlikely. Then another thought struck him.

"Wait, where did it say 'To Crutchy'?!"

"On this little note I have right here," Spot grinned, and flashed a folded slip of paper in front of Crutchy.

"What! Spot, give me that!"

"Nope!" He replied, popping the 'p.'

"Spot!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Spot!"

"No my child. You must learn that patience is a virtue!"

"Spot!"

"Fine," he huffed noisily and handed over the note.

"Thank you," Crutchy huffed back. He then opened the note, and found in very nice cursive, 'variegated tulip.' "What?! That's it?! Just 'variegated tulip'?!"

Spot rolled his eyes. "Well what, did you think - they, who ever they are, was going to write their name on it?"

"Well no but," Crutchy fidgeted. "UGH. What is this even supposed to mean?"

"Beautiful eyes."

"What?"

"Beautiful eyes," Spot took the flower from Crutchy and gently spun it while feeling the petals. "Flowers have a language of their own. Each one means something different, and each color as well. Variegated tulips mean 'beautiful eyes.'"

Crutchy just stared at him. "And how the hell do you know that?"

Spot gave a half-laugh, still staring at the flower, a slight blush rising on his cheeks. "I did the same thing for Race."

"Aaaaw," Crutchy teased, poking Spot in the ribs, grinning widely.

"Shut up," replied Spot, and lightly smacked Crutchy's hand away from his stomach. Crutchy just stuck his tongue out.

"So, what, they're saying they have beautiful eyes? Is it a hint of who they are?" questioned Crutchy. Spot closed his eyes and tilted his head back, and Crutchy thought that he heard him mutter, 'Lord help this child.'

"No," he answered, after opening his eyes again. "It means they think you have beautiful eyes."

"Oh," Crutchy whispered softly. He didn't really know what to do. This had never happened to him before. It made him feel....special. Just then, the overhead bell rang loudly to signal a five minute warning before first period started.

"Shoot," muttered Spot. He has first period in the drama room - half way across the school. Their school was rather large, and though it wouldn't take super long to get there, Spot hadn't even opened his locker yet. "Gotta run Crutch, see you later!"

Crutchy nodded, and waved as Spot departed. He looked once more at the flower Spot had handed back to him, and sighed, opening his locker, and placing it carefully on the top shelf.

_____________________________________________

The following morning, Crutchy wondered if there would be another flower. He certainly wanted there to be, but he didn't want to get his hopes up. He sighed, and followed his 'fearsome' friend into the school. If only the whole world knew how ticklish Spot really was. That reminded him, he still had to tell Kath that particular piece of-

"And the Mystery Flower Boy strikes again!" Spot projects as he reaches Crutchy's locker. Trying to ignore the jolt of excitement in his stomach, he pointed out an obvious fact to Spot.

"We don't know that it's a guy, it could be a girl, or anywhere in between," stated Crutchy. Spot gave him and almighty glare, and Crutchy held up his hand in surrender.

"Are you trying to make this harder on yourself? And dude, you're pan, so unless I'm missing something, there shouldn't be a problem," Spot retorted. Crutchy dropped his hand and sighed.

"No no, no problem. It's just that there's this guy....." he trailed off uncertainly, thinking of dark curly hair, freckles, and light blue eyes. Spot's lips stretched slowly into an all knowing smirk.

"Crutchy has a cruuuuuuuush," teased the said teenager.

"Shut up, I don't know if I do, and anyways, he has no idea who I am. This flower guy seems much better," Crutchy flipped back, crossing his arm over to his shoulder. That was a lie, though Spot didn't have to know that. Crutchy knew that he had a crush - heck, he had had the crush for two years.

"If you say so," Spot said, backing down, something that he never does. He had seen the look on his friend's face when he had thought of this guy - whoever he was. Spot wasn't so sure that it was as trivial as Crutchy made it out to be. He held the flower out to Crutchy, and he looked at it for the first time.

It was a yellow tulip, vibrant and soft. There was another slip of paper as well, same as the last. Crutchy gazed at it like it could give him the answers that he wanted so badly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Spot looking at him peculiarly. He looked up at him, then looked away. There was something too knowing in his gaze.

"So what does a yellow tulip mean?" he questioned.

"There's sunshine in your smile," he answered. Crutchy studied the flower once more, a warm feeling inside him. He opened his locker, and carefully placed the tulip on the top shelf once again.

_____________________________________________

The flowers came in this mysterious fashion for the next three days. The following flower came in the form of a magenta zinnia, meaning 'lasting affection.' The subsequent flower was a pink carnation, with the message of 'I will never forget you.' The third was a lily of the valley, with the translation of 'you've made my life complete.'

Crutchy couldn't believe it. There was no way that there was someone that felt all this about him! But he couldn't help himself going faster to his locker each morning, to find the flower and the resulting message. He couldn't help falling for this flower person, even though he knew it could be anybody, that they could turn out to be a complete jerk, and even though there was really only one person he wanted it to be.

That was the worst, he decided. When you had a crush on someone else, and then someone does something super sweet and romantic for you. And you start falling for the new someone, but you're afraid, because you don't know who they are, and you also don't want to fall out of liking the other someone in the first place. Crutchy honestly just wanted to bang his head against his locker door. Hard.  
But instead he just slipped the lily into his locker, and went to his first period.

_____________________________________________

The air outside was brisk and wintry. Crutchy wouldn't be surprised if it started to snow. He had bundled up in a beanie, scarf, winter coat, and gloves before leaving his apartment. His head ducked down against the stinging air, he hurried towards the school. Beside him, Spot walked along with his head held up high and tilted back slightly. All he was wearing was a pair of jeans and a Rent hoodie. And his well worn red Converse, of course.

"How in the name of Mike are you only wearing that?" Crutchy asked accusingly.

"Aw common Crutchy! Winter's great! First of all, it isn't even that cold. Second, I love the winter," he stuck his head all the way back and closed his eyes, throwing his arms out wide.

"That's because you're weird," Crutchy gave him the evil eye as an arm nearly hit his face. He glared up at the sky as if it had done him some personal wrong, half expecting a frozen crystal flake to land on his face. He buried his face once more into the warmth of his scarf. No, Crutchy was most definitely not a winter person. He was a spring lover. The sun, the warmth, the fresh air, the new leaves, the new flowers. Flowers.

Crutchy quickened his pace, once more impatient to get to his locker. He heard a resigned laugh from behind him, and then Spot starting to hum something that sounded suspiciously like Seasons of Love. He was in a Rent mood today it appeared.

After what felt like an eternity, (and what consisted of a frozen Crutchy, a laughing Spot, and a blushing freshman with a salami sandwich (don't ask)) Crutchy finally got to his locker. A red carnation was there on the door. He eagerly took it off the door and turned to ask Spot for the interpretation. However, when he turned and looked, he found Spot kissing Race on the lips lightly before the Italian boy grinned and walked to his class. Spot just stood there in the middle of the hallway intersection, staring after him.

"Hey Brooklyn, ya gonna come over or you just gonna stand in the hall all day?" he called out to him. Spot turned his head away from Race's trajectory and glared. Crutchy just laughed.

"You are so whipped man," Crutchy told Spot as he arrived at the blue metal doors.

"I'm punk, ask anybody," his friend quipped back.

"Oh I don't need to ask, I've seen it my self on multiple occasions. You're just not punk when it comes to Race," retorted Crutchy matter-of-factly, and Spot sang 'there's a moment you know you're fucked' under his breath. "Great show reference Spot."

"I try," he replied baldly.

"Now tell me already!!!" Crutchy thrust the flower his way.

With a roll of his eyes, Spot said, "You would think you would pick up on the pattern by now, or just culture in general. Red means love, so that means...." he waited for Crutchy to finish the sentence, but when all he got was a blank stare, he sighed and revealed, "My heart aches for you. It means my heart aches for you."

Crutchy was slightly stunned. That was a big thing to say to anybody. But they were saying it to him. It was all just so crazy. My heart aches for you. Someone was wishing, maybe even right now, that Crutchy felt the same way. They longed to be with him. Crutchy certainly knew how that felt. Their heart aches for me....aches for me.....

Like always, he put the flower on his top shelf. Spot halted him from closing the door, right before it slammed shut.

"There was something else on the note that I think you'd want to read," he said. There was something in his eyes and on his lips that suggested mirth. Crutchy swung the door back open and took the small slip of paper into his hands.

On the slip it said, "Red carnation. Ps, you look adorable in a beanie." Crutchy just about squealed out loud. He started flapping his hands and bouncing on his heel, his crutch almost slipping out from under his arm. Spot just watched, amused, and enjoying Crutchy's excitement.

"They think I'm adorable Spot! They think I'm adorable!!!" Crutchy squeaked.

"I know," he smirked. "I read the note."

"We need to talk about that," spoke Crutchy. "You have to stop reading my notes before I do."

"Oh please, like you can stop me."

This was very true. Spot Conlon listened to no man. He did what he wanted, when he wanted, and how he wanted.

"And plus, you need the moral support of having someone else read the notes before you."

As that was also true, Crutchy stayed silent.

Spot smirked, knowing, as always, that he had won.

"Oh shut up."

_____________________________________________

Crutchy just wanted to curl up in a corner. A small corner. A small dark corner. With candy corns. And a chocolate milkshake. And a kitten. Or five. Honestly, Crutchy just wanted to be anywhere but at school right then. He had slept in late after falling asleep over his homework. His homework was therefore undone, he had a cramp in his back and neck from sleeping in his desk chair, and his leg was acting up because of the cold.

He limped up to where Spot was waiting outside the school, apologized for being late, to which Spot just asked if he was okay, and hurried into the building. Crutchy sighed in relief as he felt the warm heat wash across his face. At his locker he found a purple and yellow flower that looked vaguely familiar.

He turned back to Spot, who was zoning out into the distance. Crutchy clapped in front of his face, and Spot's head snapped towards him. He received The Glare. The Glare meant to run for your little life and not look back until you're on a plane to Moscow. And you're probably not even safe then. Crutchy quickly retracted his hands, knowing nothing would happen to him (because Spot, despite his constant denials, loved him and Crutchy was his dark gay son) but still respecting what The Glare meant.

He thrust the flower at Spot, tapping his foot impatiently. However, when Spot saw the flower, his eyes widened and he froze. And he just stared. In shock....surprise....? It was always hard to tell, but it was something close to that.

"What's up? What's wrong?" he asked slightly anxiously.

Spot blinked rapidly a couple times, then cleared his throat. He swallowed and said, "Nothing....uh nothing....it just....uh.....nothing yeah."

"So what does it mean?"

"Well, it's a primrose," Spot paused before continuing. "Primroses are famous for, uh, they're deep meaning. They uh, mean that the giver can't live without the receiver." He handed the flower back to Crutchy. "They can't live without you."

Crutchy didn't know what to say. So many thoughts were running through his head. He remembered now what the flower was, and why it looked familiar. Spot was right, they are famous for they're deep meaning. No wonder he looked so shocked when he saw it. Crutchy was shocked as well. They just stood there, looking at the flower. The flower, unknowing of anything, sat in Crutchy's hand. Curiosity scratched at the inside of Crutchy's brain. He closed his eyes and let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. The next time he spoke, it was shakily.

"Wow."

"Yeah," Spot replied. "Crutchy?"

"Yeah?"

Spot looked at him seriously. "I just to let you know how deep this really is. This person is saying that they're life wouldn't keep going without you, that you are essential to them. This is...." he trailed off, then started again. "This is probably the most powerful flower out there. There saying that without you, there would be no reason to live."

_____________________________________________

Crutchy woke up on Valentines Day splayed out. On the floor. Legs tangled in a blanket. Staring into a pair of blue eyes. Small blue eyes. Surrounded by light brown fluff. The eyes blinked. Then closed, while a tiny pink mouth opened in a yawn. A kitten.

Crutchy scrambled up, and scooped the tiny ball of fluff towards him. He cradled the tiny animal in his hands while it looked up at him and batted its little paws around. Crutchy looked up at a small squeak of hinges. His mother was standing in his doorframe, smiling the smile of a mother who was happy. Happy because her child was happy. Smiling so hard he thought he face would crack, he jumped up and hugged her, with the kitten in the middle. The little fluffball made a minuscule mewl of protest, and the two of them just looked down at him and laughed.

_____________________________________________

Crutchy was still smiling as he walked into school that day, thinking of the little kitten (which he had named Angel because Spot was right, Rent is amazing) who had clung on to the cuff of his jeans as he tried to leave the house. He met Spot outside the building. Spot's faced was slightly flushed, which he thought was awfully strange, because Spot never, ever, blushes. Then he saw the small stuffed lion in Spot's hands. Crutchy grinned wickedly.

"To or from Race?" he asked.

Spot glared and mumbled, "From."

"So what did you give him?"

"None of your damn business."

Crutchy just laughed and rushed to his locker. He felt like he was on top of the world. Nothing could ruin his mood today. Once he reached his locker, he stretched out his hand to pluck the flower off his locker....only to find that there wasn't one. He stepped back and blinked in surprise. He searched the entire door of his locker. There was no flower. Anywhere. He felt his heart dropping faster than a crashing plane and his throat constricting. He searched more desperately. It just wasn't right. There was just no flower.

"Crutchy?" came Spot's voice. "Crutchy what's wrong?"

Crutchy didn't know how to answer. He just stood there, staring at the harsh blue metal, tears forming in his eyes.

"I-I-the-there's no-there's no flower Spot," he choked out.

"What?!" Spot stepped to his side and scanned the locker door as well. His eyes hardened at the lack of colorful petals. His mouth tightened.

"What the hell do they think they're doing." he said lowly. Crutchy turned his head to see Spot's expression, and almost wished he hadn't. It was downright terrifying. Now, Crutchy knew that Spot got extremely defensive of him and the rest of his friends. Spot hated seeing them get hurt. But he didn't want Spot to get in trouble.

"Spot, it-it's fine," he said in a strangled voice, stifling a sob.

"No it's not Crutchy."

"Yes it is!"

"No! No it's not!" he spat, fire in his eyes. "This jerk doesn't have the right - they don't have the right! Who do they think they are, running around telling you how much you mean to them, how you mean the world to them, letting you believe that they care, and then just going away with no explanation, no words - nothing! Just leaving you here to take all the pain. Nobody has the right to hurt anybody like that." Spot was breathing heavily, fists clenching, ready to fight the world for Crutchy. And Crutchy was thankful. Because right then he wanted nothing more to collapse to the ground and not move - to just stay there and sob. Because that's all you have the energy for when you're heart has been broken.

Suddenly a voice broke through tension and pain in the air. "Excuse me?"

Crutchy looked up fast and turned his head. Standing behind him was David Jacobs. David Jacobs. The David Jacobs. Crutchy felt his heart stop. No no no! He couldn't do this right now. This was the worst possible time to talk to David. He would mess everything up! He would-

"What do you want Jacobs?" Spot was glaring coldly at the frightened boy, Brooklyn accent even more pronounced.

"I was ju-just wondering if I co-could talk t-to Crutchy," he managed to stutter out.

"Why?" Spot growled. And then both he and Crutchy noticed the same thing at the same time. Something in David's hands. Flowers.

"You," said Spot in a dangerously low voice. "It was you."

He started towards David, but before he could get to him, Crutchy's voice stopped him, "Spot, please."

Spot turned to look at him and crossed his arms. They stood there in a battle of wills, ignoring David, who was just standing there. Spot won the staring contest, but when Crutchy looked back up at him pleadingly, he gave in and started to walk away. Before that however, he said to David, "I'm watching you Jacobs." Crutchy could swear he heard David swallow hard.

"So....?" Crutchy asked, still feeling a little heartbroken.

"I just wanted to um, give you these." he gently held out the flowers, which Crutchy accepted. There was a pale blue flower, and a red rose.

"Why?" Crutchy whispered.

"Well, I'm the one that's been leaving the flowers on your locker door. And I don't know if you knew, but I mean you probably did because you're so smart and all and - anyways, each flower has a meaning. So I was giving you a flower each day to show out how I feel about you. And today I was going to bring the flowers to you because it's Valentines Day and I wanted it to be special, but I made you upset and I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry, I didn't want that to happen an-"

"Did you mean everything that you said though those flowers?" Crutchy cut him off from his ramblings, because he just had to know - he had to know if the guy that he'd been crushing on for two years is telling him....telling him all of those things that the flowers were saying.

David closed his eyes and nodded his head. He took a shaky breath and started talking again, this time quieter. "I really really like you Crutchy. Every time I see you I just, just, I don't even know. I just fill up inside. You make me so lightheaded and happy that I can't think. You're so smart, so funny, so talented. You love your friends with a passion and you're the funniest little theatre nerd. Your eyes and smile just light up the room, but you don't even understand how special you are! You're so full of sunshine that you just lift everybody around you up. Everything about just makes me like you even more." He opened his eyes and continued. "And maybe you think I'm weird or creepy because we've never talked a whole ton, but I just wanted to tell you." He sighed sadly and looked at the floor. Crutchy could feel David's heart breaking.

"What if I told you I felt the same?"

David head shot up so fast that Crutchy new he must have gotten whiplash.

"What do you mean?" He asked quickly.

"I mean, what if I told you that everything you just said - every single thing - applies to me as well? That I think you're smart and funny and wonderful and that you are so unique and bright in your own way. That the way you smile makes me so happy inside. That your sarcasm is like a bright spot in my day. What if I told you all of that and so, so so so much more?" Crutchy asked nervously.

"I would ask you if you were for real."

"And if I said yes?" Crutchy inquired.

"Then I would do this." And David was stepping forward and cupping his face gently and oh my gosh he was pressing his lips softly to Crutchy's. And that's when the world exploded. Crutchy felt like his mind was fizzing with joy and he felt warmth spreading to the tips of his toes. His skin felt like is was projecting that very same heat. The kiss was gentle and loving - everything Crutchy had wanted for as long as he could remember. David Jacobs - the David Jacobs was kissing him. And he was kissing back.

After what felt like too short of a time, they pulled away. Crutchy's eyes were closed lightly, head tilted back slightly still from the kiss. David was watching him nervously. And then Crutchy's eyes opened, he he smiled the smile that brought sunshine into the darkest places. And he hugged David. And David hugged back, laughing slightly in relief.

"What took you so long?" Crutchy asked incredulously, burying his head in David's neck.

"I thought you didn't like me."

Crutchy snorted. The very idea of him not liking David Jacobs was beyond laughable. "Dude, I've been pining after you for two solid years."

"Really?!" David took his head off the top of Crutchy's and looked at him with pure happiness.

"Yes really you dork." Crutchy rolled his eyes.

"Now now, we jus got together, it's too soon to start being mean." he paused and started to look anxious again. "Are we? Together I mean."

"No." Crutchy deadpanned, but when David's face fell, he quickly said, "Yes doofus. Did you honestly think I was going to pass up the opportunity to be your boyfriend?"

David just shrugged shyly. He gestured at the flowers and asked, "Do you know what those mean?" and when Crutchy shook his head, he said, "The blue one is a blue iris, and it symbolizes hope. I was giving it to you to show my hope that you would accept me. And the other one is a red rose, which means....I love you."

"And do you," Crutchy queried.

"Yes."

"I love you too David Jacobs."

And he kissed David that time. When they broke apart he said, "I'm feeling a feeling that feels the way chocolate chip muffins smell." And they laughed in a way that many things would be done in the future - together.

_____________________________________________

For each day after that, Crutchy was greeted with something better than a flower. He was greeted by the one and only David Jacobs. The one that he loved with all his heart. And when they're two friend groups crashed together, everything only became better. When Romeo and Specs met, now that's a different story.

**Author's Note:**

> Yay!!! I hope you liked, please leave comment and kudos!!!! They fuel my writing!!!!
> 
> Also - I got an Instagram for this account and it's under the same name - Spellbound_Spot_Conlon so please go check that out and followww
> 
> Aaaaaaand it's 12:23 in the morning so I'm gonna go to BED


End file.
